ROXAS CITY, Philippines—A village councilor was shot dead in front of a school in Mambusao town, Capiz Tuesday noon, just a few minutes after he attended a court hearing, authorities said.

Senior Police Officer 1 Catalino Orleans said Ruperto Olilang, a councilor of Barangay (village) Najus-an, died on the spot when one of two unidentified assailants shot him several times in front of the elementary school in Barangay Bula.

Olilang, who was also a former village captain, had just come from the Mambusao justice hall to attend a court hearing over a land dispute with a neighbor when he was attacked, Orlean said.

According to a grade six pupil who witnessed the incident, two men wearing helmets and jackets were loitering in front of the school for about 30 minutes before the incident happened.

The witness said one of the men was busy sending text messages on his cellular phone while the other was looking at the passing vehicles.

When Olilang arrived onboard a tricycle, one of the suspects stopped vehicle and shot the victim, who was seated at the back.

The assailants then fled on a motorcycle leaving Olilang who sustained four gunshot wounds in the chest and back.

The police recovered empty shells of .45 cal. gun from the crime scene.

Orleans said there was a possibility that the motive behind the killing was land dispute